Saquon Barkley was the very best free agent signing in 2024. However the very best signing the Eagles made might need been Vic Fangio. Final season the Eagles play callers had been a severe drawback. This yr, they’ve been distinction makers. It might resolve the Tremendous Bowl.
Teaching Issues
From Week 6 on—after the bye week and insertion of Cooper DeJean into the lineup, and never counting finish of half kneel downs and the fully meaningless Week 18 Giants recreation, these are the Eagles’ protection factors per possession towards:
First quarter: 1.52
Second quarter: 1.32
Third quarter: 1.79
Fourth quarter: 1.44
1.79 factors per possession towards for a full season can be sixth greatest within the league. For the Eagles protection, it’s their worst quarter. The larger takeaway right here is that the protection is successful the sport of in-game changes, the 2nd and 4th quarters are enhancements from the first and third.
Take the primary Rams recreation for instance. The Rams moved the ball very nicely on their first two drives, turning the ball over within the crimson zone on their first possession after which scoring from it on their second possession. However then they bought out of the scripted performs and went three and out on their subsequent three possessions. From then on, they had been chasing the sport. It was the identical story towards the Ravens, who additionally reached the crimson zone on their first two possessions, kicking a FG after which scoring a TD. However their subsequent three possessions had been additionally three and outs, for the remainder of the sport they by no means reached the crimson zone till a rubbish time TD.
If the Chiefs rating early, take a breath. We’ve seen this earlier than.
On offense, it’s the same story (additionally Week 6 on, minus kneel downs and Week 18):
First quarter: 2.37
Second quarter: 2.85
Third quarter: 3.59
Fourth quarter: 3.15
Kellen Moore hasn’t been good, and he’s about to be the Saints head coach largely as a result of any individual must be the Saints head coach. However he has been good, and that’s sufficient with the expertise on this group. The offense simply retains getting higher and higher as the sport progresses. The dip within the fourth quarter is completely as a result of group in fact has merely not wanted to attain, they’ve had three finish of recreation possessions the place they merely let the clock expire, two within the crimson zone, one other at midfield. In the event that they kicked FGs as a substitute of kneeling within the crimson zone, they’d be at 3.33 factors per possession. TDs as a substitute? 3.58. Or if we simply discard these possessions, they’re at 3.47. This offense is constructed to put on down defenses as the sport goes on, and Moore is getting it finished. As we noticed final yr, not everybody can.
NFCCG Hangover?
The Eagles kicked the crap out of the Washington Soccer Crew Commanders within the NFC Championship Sport. It was superior. However was it an excessive amount of of a beat down? We see on a regular basis that groups that blowout a group one week can come again to Earth instantly the subsequent week. Simply take a look at the Commanders. Do groups that stomp the opposition of their convention title recreation come up lame within the Tremendous Bowl?
No, they don’t.
There have been 18 convention championship video games determined by 21 or extra factors. 8 of these 18 blowing successful groups, practically precisely half, received the Tremendous Bowl. And win or lose, solely 8 of these Tremendous Bowls had been determined by a couple of rating. 4 had been wins, 4 had been losses. Sadly blowing out the Commanders doesn’t point out that the Eagles are about to beat the Chiefs. However fortuitously it additionally doesn’t point out that they’re about to have a let down and get beat.
GO BIRDS
